Adjustable hitch clamp



June 21, 1949. E w c x, JR 2,474,078

ADJUSTABLE HITCH CLAMP Filed Aug. 21, 1947 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY Patented June 21 1949 UNITED; STATES PATENT: OFFICE ADJUSTABLE HITCHCLAMP' Earl Wilcox, Jr.,. Grand Junction; Colo.

Application August 21, 1947, Serial No. 769 948 2 Claims. 1;

This invention relates'to hitches or draft devices designed for attachment to an automobile bumper to facilitate towing and it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an adjustable clamp device for this purpose which will fit all types of automobile bumpers and may also be used as a clamp or gripping means upon other objects which .are to be dragged, lifted or moved about.

A further and morespecific object of the invention is to provide an adjustable tow clamp having a pairof jaw members connected by a chain whereby the jaw members may be readily coupled withv opposite-:sides or edges or" a body such, for example, as the top and bottom edges of amotor vehicle bumper, one of the jaws having an eye with which a tow-cable may be readily connected.

Still another object-of the invention is to provide an'adjustable tow-clamp'ot the character stated, wherein means is provided for tightening the chain between the jaws whereby to draw the jaws firmly into gripping engagement with a body placed between them.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not to be understood as limited to the exact details of construction shown and described since obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a view in side elevation of an adjustable tow clamp constructed in accordance with the present invention the same being shown applied to a vehicle bumper of arcuate form, which is in section.

Figure 2 is a view in front elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a view in perspective of the lower jaw element.

Figure 4 is a view in top plan of the top jaw element.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken longitudinally of the top jaw element and showing the clamp nut, the threaded bolt and a portion of the chain.

Figure 6 illustrates diagrammatically different forms of bumpers with which the tow clamp is adapted to be connected.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing the numeral l0 generally designates a motor vehicle bumper of transversely arcuate form upon 2 which is shown mounted the adjustable tow clamp of the present invention.

The present adjustable tow clamp comprises upper and lower jaw units H and I2, and a flexible intermediate or connecting unit I3,- bymeans of which theupper'and lowerjaw units areaadjustably coupled togeth'erto-bedrawn into gripping relation with the top and bottom edgesof the vehicle bumper or other object to:which the device is applied.

The upper jaw unit H comprises aplate body M; This plate comprisesthe-two obliquely angled portionsa andbpthexfree endof the portion b being turned back-upon'itself to form the hook At the'free endtof ithe: portion (L'Of the plate is formed the eye [6 with which a towcable or chain may be connected.

Extending.;longitudinally'of the plate is aislot l "l and .uponsthe 1 top oflthe. portion. aatherex are formed at opposite sides of the slot I! the transversely directed shoulders [8. The sides of these shoulders [8 adjacent to the portion 1) of the plate are inwardly curved or depressed as indicated at i8a whereby to form with the adjacent angle between the plate portions 0, and b, a rest or saddle i9 in which positions a shoulder block 20 which extends across the full width of the plate. This shoulder block has formed therethrough a threaded passage 2| for the purpose hereinafter described and it is substantially semicircular upon its underside as indicated at 22, to seat in the angle [9 and against the curved faces l8a of the shoulders l8.

The lower jaw unit 12 is also formed of a plate body of substantial length which is generally designated 23 and which is bent to provide the substantially parallel ofiset portions 0 and d which are connected by an obliquely angled intermediate portion e.

The free end of the portion 0 is turned back to form the hook 24 while the free end of the portion dis bent or curved slightly to form the backwardly turned lip 25.

In the angled portion 2 of the plate 23 is formed the circular aperture 26 into which opens the relatively narrow longitudinally extending slot 21 which is formed in the portion d and extends into the curved lip portion 25 all as illustrated in Figure 3.

The jaw units are connected together by the connecting unit i3 which comprises a link chain 28 which at one end carries the circular ring 2811.; while at the opposite end the chain is connected.

with the eye 29 which forms an integral part of a threaded bolt 30.

The bolt 30 extends through the slot I! of the upper unit and through the bore 2| of the shoulder block 20 and has threaded thereon the securing nut 3| which carries the lateral arms or Wings 32.

As shown the lower end of the chain 28 is extended through the opening 26 and is then shifted outwardly so that one link of the chain lies in the narrow slot 21. The ring 28a forming the last link then is disposed cross-ways of the slot and there is thus formed the desired connection between the lower jaw and the chain.

By the provision of the rounded underside 22 for the shoulder block 2|) it will be seen that the threaded bolt 39 can be readily disposed at any desired angle and thus the chain can be made to extend around and conform to the general contour of the bumper when the hooks I5 and 24 are engaged over the top and bottom edges of the bumper as shown. After the clamp has been placed in position in this manner rotation of the nut 3| will draw the chain tight so as to pull the jaws firmly into position. The tow cable or chain may then be attached to the eye 16 which extends forwardly from the upper unit.

Figure 6 illustrates in diagrammatic form the contours of different types of bumpers to which the clamp is adaptable. These bumpers which are designated ID are of such form that only a tow clamp of the character herein disclosed could be applied thereto since the chain conforms generally to the contour of the bumper thereby making it possible to engage the upper and lower jaw members with the top and bottom edges of th bumper.

I claim:

1. An adjustable tow clamp comprising a pair of jaw members, each of said jaw members being in the form of a relatively long plate having a, portion of one end turned back to form a hook, one of the jaw members at its other end being formed to provide an eye for the attachment of a tow line thereto, the said one of the jaw members being bent transversely intermediate its ends to provide two obliquely angled portions, 2. slot formed in and extending longitudinally of the said one of the members, a chain connected at one end with the other one of the members, a relatively long threaded bolt connected to the other end of the chain and extending through said slot, a shoulder block disposed transversely of the said one of the members in the angle between the two portions, the shoulder block having an opening therethrough for the reception of said bolt, and a nut threaded upon the bolt and bearing against the shoulder block.

2. An adjustable tow clamp of the character stated in claim 1, wherein the said other one of the members has a circular opening therethrough at substantially the central part thereof and a slot leading from said opening toward the end of the member remote from the hook, the last mentioned slot being designed to have a link of the chain engaged therein whereby a terminal portion of the chain is disposed transversely of and against one face of the said other member.

EARL WILCOX, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following referemces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,042,875 Bishop Oct. 29, 1912 2,338,934 Gross Jan. 11, 1944 2,432,249 Pearson Dec. 9, 1947 2,435,813 Williams Feb. 10, 1948 

